Waterproof structure of connector

Abstract

A waterproof structure of a connector 1 is configured to waterproof a cable 40 including a sheath 41 surrounding a plurality of wires 42, and a connector housing 10 connected to the plurality of wires 42 extending from a tip portion 41E of the sheath 41. The waterproof structure includes a seal member 50 collectively covering the plurality of wires 42 between the cable 40 and the connector housing 10. The seal member 50 has one end fitted onto the sheath 41 and in which the plurality of wires 42 extend from the tip portion 41E with any arrangement relation, and another end fitted into the connector housing 10.

Description

BACKGROUNDField of the Invention[0001]The present invention relates to a waterproof structure of a connector attached to a tip of a wire conductive portion.Related Art[0002]As a waterproof structure of a connector in which a plurality of wires are led into and connected to a housing, a technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-97898 has been known. In this technology, in order to prevent an intrusion of water or the like into an outer sheath in which the plurality of wires are bundled together, a rubber plug is fitted onto a tip (a led-out portion of the wires) of the outer sheath and the wires are individually inserted through a plurality of through holes provided in the rubber plug in a predetermined posture (at a predetermined angle), respectively, thereby stopping an opening (a gap between each wire and the outer sheath) of the tip of the outer sheath.[0003]However, in this configuration, in a case where an inserted wire deviates from th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]According to the configuration described above, since the waterproof member collectively waterproofs an area from the connector main body to the outer sheath of the cable, a waterproof member stopping an opening of a tip of the outer sheath is unnecessary and it is thus possible to decrease a length dimension of the connector. Furthermore, since there is no need to interpose the waterproof member between the wires, it is possible to decrease a diameter of the connector. In addition, since there is no need to deform each wire extending from the outer sheath of the multicore cable into a predetermined shape (arrangement relation) and it is only required that the wires extend into the waterproof member as it is, operability is excellent.

[0009]According to the configuration described above, since it is possible to correct the shapes of the cable and the waterproof member to desired shapes and fix the desired shapes only by putting the hard cover member on the cable and the waterproof member, an influence of bending deformation in other portions can be reduced and a waterproof performance can be improved. Furthermore, the lip portion of the waterproof member follows deformation of the cable, and thus it is possible to further improve the waterproof performance.

[0012]According to the configuration described above, since a stress generated at the connector seal lip portion due to close adherence to the inner cylinder portion and a stress generated at the auxiliary connector seal portion due to close adherence to the outer cylinder portion face each other with the same position on the connector fitting portion interposed therebetween, it is possible to efficiently closely adhere the connector seal lip portion to the inner cylinder portion.

[0014]The power wire has a relatively large diameter. Therefore, in a case where the power wire is bent between the tip of the outer sheath and the connector main body, the bent portion is liable to affect even the tip of the outer sheath and it is thus difficult to fit a posture (angle) of the wire to the waterproof member at the tip of the outer sheath. However, according to the configuration described above, since the waterproof member collectively waterproofs an area from an outer portion of the outer sheath to the connector main body, it is possible to achieve a proper waterproofing without being affected by the posture (angle) of the wire in the outer sheath.

[0016]According to the configuration described above, there is no need to stop the opening of the tip of the outer sheath of the cable with the waterproof member. With this arrangement, it is possible to allow the braided wire to extend from the tip of the outer sheath into the waterproof member.

[0017]According to the technology disclosed in the present description, it is possible to provide the structure of the connector housing for a multicore cable, which can guarantee a waterproof performance and have a small size.

Problems solved by technology

However, in this configuration, in a case where an inserted wire deviates from the predetermined posture (angle), a shape followability of the rubber plug is insufficient and thus a gap may be generated between the wire and the rubber plug to impair a waterproof performance.

For this reason, in a case where, particularly, a wire with a relatively large diameter is bent in the connector, it is difficult to decrease the length dimension.

Furthermore, since a rubber is interposed between the respective wires, it is difficult to implement a small diameter of the rubber plug and even a small diameter of the connector.

Therefore, in a case where the power wire is bent between the tip of the outer sheath and the connector main body, the bent portion is liable to affect even the tip of the outer sheath and it is thus difficult to fit a posture (angle) of the wire to the waterproof member at the tip of the outer sheath.

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